Gas valve



Oct. l1, 1932. L. H, MORSE ET AL GAS VALVE Filed May 8, 19151 Patented Oct. 1l, 1932 vnarrav erre'- LYNN ramoner: AND Lnwrs-A. nooxnnnnior Narren,rrfrnssaonusnrrs, Assrerroasro i i rasant ERNEST'L. CHASELERUSTEE, 0F DORCHESTER, MASSACHUSJE'I["]ISi` Y l j Gas VVAL-vn Application ieirray ys, 1931. Vserial nateasa This invention relates tovalves which' are adapted to be releasedunder abnormal conditions of heat, such, for. example, as' occur when a building is on lira-'to cut ed a flow of iiuid, commonly illuminating gas. Our in'- vention may be considered as an improvefv ment on thevalve'shown in the patent to Humphries 114,144-, April25,"18'?1. The object of our invention is toprovide a simple and secure method of supporting the valve proper having Vvarious advantages in manu- Cil i of one form of valve; and

Fig. 3 tion.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, we have there shown a gas'meter 5 to which illuminating gas Hows from the supply main 7 through shut-off valve 9 and a connection which may comprise the casing 11 of a valve constructed in accordance with the invention, the gas leaving the meterV through the offset 15 leading to the supply line 17. Herein the casing 11 is of an odset form corresponding generally to the form of the pipe 15 and in existing installations of a well known type which utilize two such offset connections to facilitate the fitting of the meter to the piping the valve may be substituted directly for such a pipe.

is a similar section of a modifica- Referring now to Fig. 2, the lower portion of the fitting may be provided with a valve seat 19 adapted topbe closed by the valve proper 21 which preferably takes the form of a steel ball 2l. This ball 21 is normally supported laterally of the gas passage through the fitting and when released when subjected to abnormal heat conditions falls well understood by' j may then'be poured in about the exposed conuder gravity t0 'i the .seat .V1-9. Y Irreferabll7 A l this .may bei a straight drop and herein due to .the offset in the gasrpassa'gerthis isfconveniently attaineduand vwel` have herein shown the Vball asfhoused in anenlargement 23 of the casing vertically labovejthe seat V19,: this enlargement herein shown' as taking the form of a closed hood, receiving the ball in its infterior with a slightv clearance "E The inner wall'of the oifset23 isy recessed,

'T Terre preferably by an annular groove .25, at a 1 location in a plane ,below thecenter ofthe ball in itsV normal position shown in Figg2, this grooveV forming anl upwardlyrfacing yshoulder of a diameter greater than theball so that it may fall freely past the same when released. A body of vfusible .metal 27 peripherally Vsupported on this shoulder y'engages` the conveXity ofthe ball below its` cen-r ter and'gives a direct underriding support thereto. VThe ball may be dropped into the fitting from the upper end of Fig. 2 and the fitting then turned upside down tojpermit the ball to roll into'the offset.' Molten metal veX'ity of the ball intothe spaceV between the same and the wall of the offset, which ymetal flows into the groove 21 andsets inposition to, form a retaining ring supported on the shoulder ofgroove 25and on which the ball rests as shown in Fig. 2." l Y Y The process of manufacture is simple. The ball is firmlysupported by mechanical means from the wall of the casing 11 of the fitting. No reliance need be placed upon the adhesive properties ofthe fusible metal. `When cast in as described,the ball is closely held'against the top of the chamber which receives it Iwithout opportunity for play'. The security of its support has been shown experimentally in a structure similar to that shown in Fig. 2 by drilling a'hole through the top of the chamber which receives the ball landinserting a pin intocontact with the ball; A nurnber of blows with a heavy hammer lwere revquired before the ball was dislodged: Ob-

' vided'with recesses 25a at intervals thereabout instead of the continuous annular groove 25 of Fig. 2. Fusible metal 27 poured in as before vat the locations of these recesses may form amore or less continuous ring about the ball and at intervals keys resting on the shoulders formed by the recesses. In

this construction the convex surface of the ball fits against the inner ends ofthe keysY which are obliquely presented. The keys form struts and the weight of the ball presses them Aoutwardly into'the recessesQa in thel manner of a keystone, the shoulders of the recessescorresponding tothe piersl of kan arch and theV wall of casing 'llto .the abutments. ItV will be understood that a similaraction takes place inthe modification of Fig. 2l 20v i.

We are aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingV from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and we therefore desire the present lembodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive; reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the'foregoing description to indicatethefscope of the invention.y l

1 l. In a valve of the typewherein a ball valve is supported by fusiblematerial laterally of a iuid passage forl Vrelease underfeX- cessiveheatto a cooperatingiseat in thepassage, a part receiving the ball having an annular groove in its inner wall opposing the ball below its center and aringof fusible metal cast about the conveXity of theball and e into said groove. v

2. In a valve of the type wherein a ball valve is supported by fusible material laterally of a fluid passage for release undereX- cessive heat to a cooperating seat in the passage, a part receiving the ball having its 'inner wall recessed in a plane vbelow the center of the ball and fusible metal cast about the .conveXity of the ball and into interlocking engagement with said recessed wall.

inner wall and fusible metal cast into interlocking engagement with the recessed portion of the wall and'projectingto provide an underriding support for the valve.

5. In a valve of thek type wherein a ball valve is supported by fusible material laterally of afluidpassage for release under eX- cessive heat to a cooperating seat in the pasi sage7 a part receiving the ball shouldered to provide supporting" surfaces below the centerof the ball and fusible metal supporting means resting on said surfaces and having faces presented obliquely to the convexity of the lower part of the ball whereby the ball thrusts against said'means toward said surfaces. Y Y q 6. Ina valve ofV the-type wherein a ball valve is supported by fusible material laterallyof a-fluid passagefor release yundereX- cessive heat to a cooperating-seat in the pas- .1

sage, a part receiving the ball having upwardly facing shoulders below the center of the ball, struts set on said shoulders vhaving obliquely directed ends presented to thecon-v 3. In a valve of the type wherein a ball valve isl supported by fusible material-later'- ally of a fluid passage for release under eX- cessive heat to a cooperating seat in the passage, a part'receiving the ballhaving an upwardly facing annular shoulder of greater dia-meter than the ball vand in a plane below the center thereof and a circular body of fusible metal having its peripheral portion seated on said shoulder and its inner portion extending inward pastthe diameter of the Y underriding support therefor. Y 4. In a valve of the type wherein a valve is supported by a fusible material laterally of a. fluid passage for releas'eunder excessive heat to a cooperating seat in the passage,

a. part receiving the valve having a recessed 

